Blog Post: William & Mary Freeman Intern Fellow Myra Simbulan's First Impressions of Mae La Noi
Global Playground is excited to welcome Myra Simbulan as one of two Freeman Intern Fellows from the College of William & Mary who will be working with us this summer! Myra will be teaching English at Mae La Noi Daroonsik School, one of our partner schools in Northern Thailand. Read on below to learn about Myra‘s experience during her first weeks of her internship.
Hi! My name is Myra Simbulan and I am proud to be part of Global Playground as an English Teaching Fellow at Mae La Noi Daroonsik School (MLNDS) in Northern Thailand. MLNDS is located in the village of Mae La Noi in the Mae Hong Son province, which is beautifully surrounded by rice fields and breathtaking mountains. I recently learned that the name, "Mae La Noi" translates to the La Noi River, as it refers to the river that flows through the town. This location is also the westernmost province of Thailand, near the Thai-Myanmar border. To understand my experiences and perspectives, you must get to know me first. I am a rising Junior studying Government and Global Studies with a concentration on Asian Pacific Islander American Studies at the College of William & Mary, and am Filipino-American. I have only been to South East Asia to visit my family in the Philippines, so this is my first time in Thailand.
The rural countryside of Mae La Noi Daroonsik School reminds me of my family's home in the Sorsogon province of the Bicol region in the Philippines. I expected my on-campus house in MLNDS to be similar, without air conditioning. To my surprise, the house was more modern and comfortable than I imagined, especially as it had the convenience of AC and a proper shower. My favorite part of the house is the back porch as the verdant scenery only adds to its charm. However, I must admit I wasn't prepared for the mass of bugs. Of course, I came prepared with bug spray, I was just caught off guard when I woke up on my second night in Mae La Noi with 17 mosquito bites on my face, including two on my eyelid!
Initially, I felt anxious about navigating this unfamiliar environment without my family. Fortunately, I am accompanied by another W&M Freeman Fellow, Rehanna Alami, and her presence has boosted my confidence to thrive independently. After just one week, I became incredibly optimistic and enthusiastic about my role as an English teacher at a school specifically designed for students from hill tribes in northern Thailand, such as the Hmong, Lawa, Karen, and Shan. Despite the language barrier, the students’ eagerness to seek assistance with English pronunciation and translations, along with their strong desire to learn, have been immensely encouraging. While some students are still shy to engage with me, my goal is to create a comfortable environment where they can practice their English skills with me.
The one thing that I find interesting is that everyone’s first impression of me is that I am Thai. I would often meet new students or teachers and they would assume I’m Thai and speak to me in their language. Don’t get me wrong, it’s always interesting to see how they react when I tell them I am not Thai, but Filipino. With this, many people comment that Thai faces and Filipino faces are “same-same”. On the other hand, the students and teachers at MLNDS are not only extremely friendly but also remarkably down-to-earth. The teachers especially. The English department teachers have shown exceptional hospitality, going above and beyond to make us feel at home. They have even offered to teach us how to cook and, so far, have been a reliable source of support for our needs and/or concerns.
From being in Thailand I’ve been learning a lot about the culture and school system where MLDS holds Mattayom 1-6, Mattayom 1 (ages 11-12) to Mattayom 6 (ages 17-18), where each grade has separate class levels that differ between levels of difficulty and student interest. Student interest is best described as wanting to learn math and science, English and/or Chinese, and Greek Life. These past two weeks have taught me the importance of patience, whether it means allowing students more time to respond or repeating myself. I have also learned to appreciate the little things in life, especially the beauty of nature, which I have come to cherish even more in comparison to my time in America. Additionally, spending quality one-on-one time with others has shown me the enduring power of relationships.
I love being able to experience rural Thailand—it's like a cultural shock on steroids, giving me an incredible adventure. I've learned to be flexible and adaptable, especially when dealing with bugs and laundry. But hey, every day is a new adventure! Even though this town is super tiny and everyone knows everyone (Rehanna and I stick out like sore thumbs), there's always something new to do. Despite 7-Eleven being the biggest store in the area, I’ve already had the experience of a lifetime in the span of being here for less than two weeks! Can you believe it? My heart is filled with gratitude as I consider Mae La Noi Daroonsik School my home for the upcoming two months, and let me tell you, I’m seriously grateful for this experience—couldn't ask for more!
